Reinstalling iOS with Apple Configurator
A few notes I keep forgetting when restoring iPhones and iPads with Apple Configurator.
Reuse downloaded IPSW files
Apple Configurator downloads IPSW firmware files before restoring a device. These files are cached locally and can be reused for future restores:
~/Library/Group Containers/K36BKF7T3D.group.com.apple.configurator/Library/Caches/Firmware/
The files look like this:
iPhone13,2,iPhone13,3_15.6.1_19G82_Restore.ipsw
By default iTunes Updater in Finder stores their files in this path:
~/Library/iTunes/iPhone Software Updates/
Restore using a local IPSW
If the firmware has already been downloaded, there’s no need to fetch it again.
Also, you can install/update custom image via cfgutil CLI:
cfgutil -v restore -I ~/Desktop/iPhone13,2,iPhone13,3_15.6.1_19G82_Restore.ipsw
This is useful when restoring multiple devices or working with a slow internet connection.
Custom images
Custom images you can find here: https://ipsw.me/
⚠️ also
- Apple Configurator automatically downloads the latest compatible firmware.
- A restore erases all data on the device.
- Activation Lock is not removed by restoring iOS.
- Local IPSW files can significantly speed up repeated restores.
